Good Stuff Cheap 2013: The frugalist’s guide to designer clothes, trendy accessories and home decor

Toronto is a great place to have money. There have never been so many upscale stores, so many fancy restaurants, so many $100 dog leashes or $800 rain jackets or $25 martinis—never mind the $1,200-a-night hotel rooms and $25-million condos. But you don’t have to be a one-per-center to enjoy this city. Where’s the thrill in paying retail, anyway? It’s infinitely more satisfying to find a bargain, save some cash and be in the know, which is why we go searching, tirelessly, for the best deals in town. The results are our annual guide to buying stylish duds and cool stuff for the home without spending a fortune.

The circle chair is the perfect perch for settling in with a long winter–length novel. The original, designed in 1986, is a college-fund-draining $2,500, but <strong>Modern Furniture Knockoff</strong>—a showroom that specializes in undetectable forgeries for show homes and film sets—has a nearly exact replica for $950. <em>1152 Dupont St., 416-588-1950.</em>

Once, before TMZ, Hollywood was a glamorous place. Old-school silver-screen regency is now cropping up in home decor. <strong>CB2’</strong>s Signal floor lamp—styled after a 1940s spotlight—is a sophisticated nod to the age of Billy Wilder and Marlene Dietrich. And it’s priced like a cheap set piece. $329. <em>651 Queen St. W., 416-366-2828.</em>

Riedel wine glasses are elegant, but they’re prone to chipping and, at $25 per, a major investment. Schott Zwiesel’s glasses are every bit as chic, much less expensive and infused with titanium, so they’re shatterproof and dishwasher safe. From $9. <strong>Cry If I Want To,</strong> <em>1175 Queen St. E., 416-466-2797. </em>

<strong>Mjölk,</strong> the Scandinavian-trendy high-end boutique, isn’t known for cheap stuff. These pelts come from Lapland, Finland, where the deer are herded for their meat, and the fur looks perfect on or under a Danish-modern chair. And, surprisingly, they come in at $90 less than the generic cowhides sold at IKEA. $210. <em>2959 Dundas St. W., 416-551-9853. </em>

For kitchen and bathroom renos that involve small quantities of tile—backsplashes, surrounds or accent walls—<strong>Downtown Tile Centre</strong> offers almost-out-of-stock ceramics at deep discounts. Some of its nicest porcelain, for example, might be down from $4 per square foot to only $1. <em>176 Ossington Ave., 416-532-2813.</em>

Half the fun of the craft cocktail craze is the kit—swizzle sticks, cut-crystal highballs, sleek martini shakers. The most elegant accoutrement is the bar cart, a staple of boozier decades past that’s making a comeback. This chrome-and-black-glass trolley is compact enough to fit in today’s tiny condos (and at $255, it also works with today’s tiny budgets). <strong>BYOB,</strong> <em>972 Queen St. W., 416-858-2932.</em>

Antique tapestries that have been bleached of their wine and coffee stains, then revitalized with a striking pigment, are all the rage. They usually sell for thousands apiece. A new-but-made-to-look-old rug is an affordable alternative—and you can’t tell the difference. $448. <strong>Design Republic,</strong> <em>639 Queen St. W., 416-603-0007. </em>

Tivoli sets the price on its radios, and retailers rarely stray. That said, <strong>Bay Bloor Radio</strong> is known for its regular sales: Boxing Day, President’s Day, any occasion to mark things down. The radios are regularly $180, but if you’re patient it could be yours for as little as $150. <em>55 Bloor St. W., 416-967-1122.</em>

French Country is among the most enduring decor styles. Lately there’s been a modern edge—wood-framed Louis chairs updated with linen upholstery and graphic silkscreened prints. Some design stores sell them for upwards of $1,100, but this one’s only $450. <strong>Phil’z,</strong> <em>792 Queen St. E., 416-461-9913.</em>

The trick to great burgers is getting the meat as fresh as possible and mastering the right mix of ground chuck and short ribs. Having a butcher on speed dial is one approach, but the DIY method is cheaper and more fun. Restaurant-worthy cast iron meat grinders can easily cost up­wards of $120. <strong>Nikolaou Restaurant Equipment</strong> has a home version for $60. <em>629 Queen St. W., 416-504-6411.</em>

The latest home decor revival is the Dulton dentistry cabinet, which Anthony Lazarek, the owner of King Street East’s <strong>Office and Shop Furniture,</strong> first remembers selling in the ’60s. He has them in stainless steel and white enamel. While some retailers have the same cases for $1,200, Lekakis offers them for only $759. <em>181 King St. E., 416-363-4406.</em>

Cast iron pots are a mainstay of wedding registries, but they’re not cheap. A company called Lodge, based in Tennessee, uses some good old Yankee know-how to make top-of-the-line products at budget-friendly prices. The best price is at <strong>Cayne’s,</strong> Thornhill’s discount kitchen superstore. $120. <em>112 Doncaster Rd., 905-764-1188. </em>

<strong>Josephson Opticians</strong> is a Yorkville stalwart, hardly known for its bargains. But at its annual mid-October sale, which lasts up to six weeks, almost everything in stock—including these Derek Lam frames—can be had at discounts of up to 70 per cent. $241.50. <em>60 Bloor St. W., 416-964-7070. </em>

<strong>Thrill of the Find,</strong> Leslieville’s upscale vintage shop, consistently has the best deals on women’s accessories, like this Hermès cuff. They’re slightly used, but cleaned, gleaming and at a fraction of their original price. $485. <em>1172 Queen St. E., 416-461-9313. </em>

So much leather is flimsy and insincere. For the real deal—sold alongside a selection of helmets and road gear—find an insulated moto jacket by First Manufacturing (in both men’s and women’s sizes). From $229. <strong>Town Moto,</strong> <em>123 Ossington Ave., 416-856-8011. </em>

Saturdays Surf is one of the coolest brands on the market. Their sneakers are surprisingly affordable, especially at <strong>Jonathan and Olivia’</strong>s massive annual end-of-year sale, starting late November. $115 or less. <em>49 Ossington Ave., 416-849-5956.</em>

These dangly pieces are the biggest thing in neckwear. You can buy one for hundreds of dollars at Holt’s or The Bay, or you can buy this handcrafted version by homegrown talent Nicola Chong for $40. <strong>Coal Miner’s Daughter,</strong> <em>744 Queen St. W., 647-381-1439. </em>

Colourful trousers are totally in right now—and a big sartorial commitment. <strong>H&M’</strong>s versions, with their rich hues and wildly bold patterns, are spot-on for this year’s trend—and at $70, you don’t have to like them nearly as much next year. <em>Multiple locations. </em>

Like skinny ties and pocket squares, tie bars have seen a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. Pass over luxury brands in favour of this sleek $35 gold-plated version from <strong>A2Zane.</strong> <em>753 Queen St. W., 416-803-7754. </em>

There’s a timeless appeal to NATO strap watches. They’re functional—with interchangeable bands made of no-nonsense nylon—and fashionable. This Timex version from the new <strong>J.Crew</strong> men’s shop is the best deal going. At $150, it’s a quality timepiece that’s peanuts in the show-off-y world of men’s watches. Blow the rest of your budget on fun, colourful straps, for $24 each. <em>220 Yonge St., 416-977-0941.</em>

A cheap suit that doesn’t look cheap is hard to come by. Happily, <strong>Massimo Dutti,</strong> an upscale brand owned by Zara’s parent company, opened up its first North American location at the Eaton Centre this fall. This slim-cut wool-and-cashmere suit is well made and great value. Jacket $375, pants $135. <em>220 Yonge St., 647-255-0000. </em>